Spring latch



Patented dan. il?,r 1923,

wre

GEORGE E. HlfTCl-ICOCK, 0F. FILING?, l'tIICHIGrAN, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HAL* TO MYER BROWN, 0F FLINT, '.MXCHIGAN.

' srnrne namen.

Application lei March 26, 1920.l Serial No. 369,122.

. To all tv/wm it may concern Be it known that l, GEORGE E. HironcocK, a citizen of the United States, residing` at Flint, in the county of Genesee and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Spring Lat-ches, of Which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to an improvement in spring-latches, and more particularly of the type adapted for auto and screen doors, the present invention being an improvement on the one disclosed in Letters Patent No. 1,265,915, granted to me May 14, 1918, and the object of the present invention is to provide a greatly simplified and much cheaper device than heretofore, which Will require a less number of partsand less stock, and will have nothing about it to get out of order.

While at the saine time it will be effectual` in the performance of its functions.

The present invention can be used keither as a pull or a push by simply changingor turning over the actuating rod.

ln the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal horizontal section 5,

Fig. 2 is a side elevation;

Fig. 3 is a transverse section;

Fig. 4 is a View of the latch gua-rd.v

Figs. 5 and 6 are details.

Fig. 7 is an end View.

rThe numeral A represents the base-plate of the latch, and 2 is the end flange which has a centrally located hole 3, through which the latch 4 operates, and in which the outer end of the latch guard 6 is fitted. The latch guard 6 is in` the `forni of an elongated sleeve, rectangular in cross-section, and it forms a housing' for the latch 4 and the latch-actuating spring 7, Which latter is confined between t-he inner end of the guard and the inner end of the latch 4. The latch guard is open on the side next to the base plate, and its edges are provided with tongues 8 which extend through the holes 9 in the base plate as a convenient means for securing the latch-guard in position on the base-plate. A lug 10 struck up at one end of the base plate forms a stop against the inner end of the latch-guard and absolutely precludes movement in that direction.

The sides of the latch-guard are provided with slots 11, and an actuating rod 12 eX- tends through these slots and in front of a shoulder 13 on the inner side of the latch 4. he `actuating rod is arranged to slide between guides 14, and at a point between these guides the actuating rod is bent diagonally at anangle of kabout 45O forming a cam 15, which passesin front of the shoul-v der 1301i the latch, so 'that when it is desired to Withdraw or release` the latch it is simply necessary to move the actuating rod endWise, the effect of vwhich is to force the cani 15 against the shoulder 13, thereby forcing the latch in. The spring 7 not only actuates the latch 4 and causes it to resume its normal position, but it also has theel-lect of returning the actuating-rod to its normal position. To otherwise facilitate this action, an additional spring 16 is placed where it bears endivise on the actuating rod.

While in the construction shown, the actuating rod is a push rod, this might be transformed into a pull by turning over the lever and a very slight corresponding change in the parts.

While the guides 14 may be variously constructed, they are conveniently out out of, and struck from, the base-plate as illustrated.

F rom the foregoing it will be seen that the parts are simple and few and not likely to get out of order. ,They are easily removable and are effectual in the performance of the function of the latch.

l claim:

1. A spring-latch including a base plate having guides at or near opposite edges thereof, out of alignment with each other,

saline-actuated latch and :in actuatiiw ha 7 sa rod bent laterally edge'wise at one end to forni a Cain lwith the portions adjacent the cani straight, and in parallel planes, and

movably held between the guides, the cam portion of the bar between the guides having sliding connection with the latch, Whereby to move the latter in one direction as the actuating rod is slid endwise.

2. A spring-latch including a base plate having guides at or near opposite edges thereof, out of alignment with each other, ay spring-actuated latch, and an actuating rod bent laterally edgeivise at one end to form a cam with the portions adjacent the cam straight, and in parallel planes, and inovably lheld between the guides, the cani portion of the bar between the guides having sliding connection with the latch, Whereico by to move the latter in one direction as the actuating rod is slid endwise, and a spring which exerts pressure endwise in one direction upon the hal'.

3. A dooll'atch includ-ing a Slotted metal baseplate having a anged. end with a slot'J therein, a sheet-metal latch-guard, one end of which is inserted in he slotl in the flange, and having tongues which ente;D the slots in the base-plate and are bent aside to hold it ififiuii in position, a spring-actuated latch slidable in said guard, an actuating rod slidably connected with both hase-plate and latch, guides struck upwardly from the base-plate on opposite sides .of the actuating-rod between which the rod slides, and a spring for pressing the actuating rod in onedireetion.

l'n`testilnony whereof l afx my signature.

y GEORGE E. HITCHCOCK. 

